Department of Dermatology, Ullevaal Hospital, Oslo.
The hydration, the hygroscopicity and the water-holding capacity as well as the rate of water loss were measured in 1) dry non-eczematous skin in 13 patients (mean age 32 years) with atophic dermatitis (AD), 2) dry, xerotic skin of old patients (mean age 75 years) and 3) 17 controls (mean age 36 years) with normal skin and no history of AD. Significantly higher water flux was found in patients with AD compared to the other groups while all the other functional parameters were much lower. The obtained data suggest different functional disturbances in dry skin of patients with AD compared to old, dry (xerotic) skin.